Clashing Visions
by CrescentMoon90
Summary: When an Avenger is taken and strange deaths are mounting across the country, a witch and another Avenger must work together to find the one responsible. But with their goals different, it will lead to a clashing that could do more harm than good...
1. Chapter 1: Captured

**Hey guys! This is a story my friend, Lion's Edge, and I have been working on. Hope you guys enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Neither one of us own anything. I only own Raul.**

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**Chapter One: Captured**

"STARK!"

Flying through the morning air of San Francisco, the iconic red-and-golden armored Avenger Iron Man fired several bursts of repulsor energy. However, he had to dodge several flashing laser blasts as he glanced down.

"Seriously, Parks, haven't I kicked your butt ENOUGH times in the past for you to learn your lesson?" Iron Man muttered to himself before he shot down towards the source of the laser blasts, trying to get a focus. "Dammit, he's too fast to lock on the normal way... JARVIS, scan the area for high quantities of electrical discharges."

"Yes, sir," a mechanical voice rang, the AI of his armor activating scan systems. "Scanning for high levels of electrical discharges." Iron Man descended a little as his scanners analyzed the area. Then, he heard, "Sir, powerful electrical discharges have been traced around fif-"

The signal was cut off as a laser struck into Iron Man, knocking him plummeting down. Standing over the armored Avenger was a man in black armor, golden circuit lines running across it, and narrowed white eyes. Iron Man knew him as Arthur Parks but the public knew him as the 'Living Laser': a powerful super villain and a master of laser-technology.

"This is it, Stark. Time to show you that your pathetic systems are no match for my laser technology!" Living Laser declared as he charged up another blast.

"Yeah, I see a problem with that, Parks... and that problem comes in the form of one simple word..." Iron Man chuckled. "Unibeam." Before the Living Laser had time to react, a pulse of repulsor energy shot out of Tony's arc reactor; knocking him flying backwards and crashing onto the ground, defeated.

"Ugh... t-this isn't fair..." Living Laser grumbled. "M-my tech is-"

"Inferior in every way. Yes, I know," Iron Man responded before the sound of sirens caught his attention. "Right on cue... tell the boys in blue I said 'hi'," he remarked before flying upwards into the skies, leaving Arthur Parks at the mercy of the San Francisco Police Department.

It was all just a usual day for Tony Stark: businessman, womanizer and the superhero Iron Man.

Tony Stark—now un-armored—slumped back in his San Francisco office chair and finished with his hero duties for now. He ran a hand through his growing black beard before he grabbed a bottle of beer from his desk and took a swig.

"Parks just WON'T give it up... that's how many times? Six in one month?" He grumbled slightly. But then, he chuckled. "Well, I'll admit this... he looks better in prison orange than in a black-and-yellow-laser-firing-death suit,"

As he glanced out the window, he frowned slightly. For the past two weeks, he had been closing a new deal with a local bank regarding funding for his latest project in the fields of repulsor-engine based jets. He left the rest of the Avengers to take care of problems in New York.

However, if he had to be honest, Tony missed the thrill of the fight and now wished to return home. To his dismay, he still had one more press meeting to confirm his new developing project before he could head back...

"Well, may as well see what's what in San Francisco today... maybe they'll mention me," Tony chuckled as he turned on a radio, hoping to hear a bit of enjoyable news for once…

_"Police and the fire departments have been called to downtown San Francisco to investigate a case of what is believed to be arson that has rapidly spread through an apartment complex. So far, no major casualties have been reported however it is known that people ARE trapped and-"_

Tony frowned deeply before he turned off the radio. "Ten minutes... can't a city just stay crime-free for TEN minutes and let me relax?" he asked before shaking his head. _Still, there's people in there…I can't sit back and let them get killed!_

Quickly, with a determined look on his face, he stood up and marched towards his infamous armory, where there were several Iron Man suits awaiting his use. "Time to suit up..."

When Iron Man reached the building—an apartment complex, to be exact—it was already engulfed in flames. The firefighters below him were trying to put the fire out with the hose, but none of them could get in to save those that could be alive. His eyes narrowed slightly before he said, "JARVIS, scan the building for any survivors."

"Yes sir." The AI responded.

As the scanning began to commence, Iron Man brought himself lower, ready to go through the window. His eyes flickered downward, hearing the cries of people who watched the fire in fear. _Hurry up, JARVIS_. He thought impatiently, looking back at the building.

Finally, he heard, "Sir, I was able to detect two people within the building."

Iron Man nodded at this. "Good work, JARVIS."

With that, he rushed into the burning building smashing threw an unbroken window. Even through his armor, he felt the heat of the flames. He moved himself through the enflamed area as he scanned the area. "JARVIS, where are the survivors?"

However, before he could get an answer, he heard something crash in the hallway to his left. Quickly, he rushed toward the source before he noticed a strange scene before him. A woman, around her mid-twenties, crawled out of a hole in the wall with burns over her body. Her black hair, which was curly, was singed from the fire. Soot covered her face, and she held herself as if she was injured.

His eyes widened. "Hey! Are you alright?" He asked as he hurried to her side. Then, he noticed the burn on her chest, and he realized it didn't come from the fire. His eyes flickered to the rest of her body, and he saw her leg bleeding. "What the hell…?"

She quickly looked at him, and her brown eyes widened with fear. "You need to get out! Raul-"

Before she could finish her sentence, an electric blast smashed into Iron Man. He cried out in pain slightly before he hit the ground. His suit sparked slightly, but the system didn't shut down, much to his relief. He looked up with his eyes narrowed, noticing the one who attacked him. A man with no hair on his head stood before him and the woman. Despite the raging flames around them, the man wore a calm expression upon his face, though his dark beady eyes shimmered delightfully. His suit seemed untouched, but there were soot marks on the white shirt.

"Well well…you finally made it…" The man said with a calm smile on his face. "I was wondering if you would show up…"

"Raul…" The woman said, coughing harshly.

Iron Man growled before he fired a blast of repulsor energy at him. However, to his shock, Raul disappeared in flames, causing the blast to hit the wall. He looked around rapidly to try and find the man, though the heat from the fire was now sweltering.

He glanced at the woman and rushed toward her. "Hey, we better get out of here before that freak comes back!"

The woman, however, seemed reluctant to accept his help. Her eyes flickered around the area in a paranoia fashion before her eyes widened. "Look out!"

She pushed him on the ground as a fireball rushed overhead. It slammed into a window, causing it to shatter, and the flames raged even more. Iron Man's eyes widened before he turned to the left to see the strange man again. He fired two more shots of repulsor energy. When he disappeared once more, he growled. "Hold still!" He exclaimed in frustration. He turned once more after he heard a chuckle, and he fired another shot. However, he disappeared again. "Dammit!"

"My my…for being the well-known hero and the leader of the Avengers, you are doing a poor job." Raul's voice echoed in the burning room.

Iron Man's eyes narrowed even more. Suddenly, he saw pieces of the ceiling about to fall and his eyes widened. "C'mon!" Quickly, he grabbed the woman went back into the hallway. He heard her cough loudly and he thought, _I can't focus on that guy right now…I need to get her out first._ Quickly, he went to get her on her back.

However, before he could, Raul appeared in front of him and grabbed him by the throat. Electricity poured into him, and Iron Man couldn't help but scream in pain. The images he saw in his helmet began to blur before it disappeared completely. The armor now felt heavy on his body, and he was unable to move his limbs.

When he hit the ground, with blurry vision and pain coursing through his body, the man chuckled. "Pathetic, just like the rest of the mortals…however, I need you alive."

"Wh-What…?" He groaned in pain.

"Now…" Raul's eyes flickered at the woman as a smirk appeared on his face. "As for you…"

The woman's eyes widened as she quickly backed away, coughing harshly. "Paige! Paige!" She wildly called out.

"Your whitelighter can't save you now…_witch_."

Iron Man was confused by his statement, but his confusion was replaced with shock when Raul quickly grabbed the woman. "Leave her alone!" He growled, trying to move to help.

He simply chuckled and pulled out a strange dagger. "You served your task well…and now it's time for me to get one more thing from you!" With that, he plunged the blade into the woman's chest. She gasped in pain, and shortly afterward, her body went limp. Her body dropped to the ground, and Raul had a look of satisfaction on his face. Then, he turned to Iron Man. "It is time we took our leave…"

He growled, his vision becoming fuzzier. _Dammit…DAMMIT!_ He noticed a woman appearing in the background through white and blue orbs, but he couldn't seem to register what occurred. The last thing he said before he finally went unconscious was,

"I HATE MAGIC!"

"Billie! Parker is cheating! She's using her premonition powers!"

"I not!"

"Are too!"

Billie Jenkins rolled her eyes as she heard her surrogate nieces fighting once more. She was in the kitchen, finishing up with the breakfast dishes for Phoebe, who had left just a few minutes ago. She sighed exasperatedly before she turned to the doorway to the living room. "Parker, were you using your premonition powers again?" She called out with her hands on her hips.

"No!" The younger sister, Parker Halliwell, cried out.

"Yes you are!" Prue retorted. "And she is beaming the card she needs to the top!"

She shook her head before she dried her hands. She loved the girls deeply, but there were times where she wanted to pull out her hair. As she rubbed her head, she swiftly walked into the living room. Before her was two girls- one was five and the other was three. Both of them had their arms crossed with their eyes narrowed to glares. The elder child—Prue—had brown hair that reached the middle of her back, and her eyes were dark brown; she was like a spitting image of her mother, Phoebe Halliwell. The same could be said with Parker, only her skin complexion was a little darker, and her brown hair—which was pulled back into pigtails—was lighter.

Billie crossed her arms as she gave them a look. "Parker, don't lie to me, did you use your powers?"

"No!" She shook her head vigorously, her pigtails smacking her face.

She rolled her eyes. "Well, are you using your powers to teleport the cards?"

Upon the question, silence stood between them. Parker merely looked down with a look of guilt on her face. Her bottom lip puckered out to a pout. Finally, she mumbled, "Yes…"

"Okay then, what mommy, daddy, and I told you about using your powers? We said do not use them because it was cheating."

"…I'm sorry…"

The witch sighed softly before her jade green eyes flickered at Prue. "As for you…"

She looked at her as she crossed her arms. "What did I do?"

"You cheated on another game, if I recall correctly Prue." Billie said, keeping a stern gaze on her. "So, both of you need to learn not to use your powers if you don't want the other to use it, understand?"

"…Yes…" Parker nodded, refusing to look up.

She nodded before she looked at the other girl. "Prue?"

Prue looked at her. She kept her arms crossed, and her own face mirrored her younger sister's. Then, she mumbled, "Yes ma'am…"

"Good, now both of you play fair."

With that, she turned and walked back into the kitchen. It was a normal morning for her- at least, normal when she would babysit Phoebe Halliwell's daughters. She would do so on her days when she knew her team—the Darkness Shroud—didn't need her.

A content sigh escaped from her lips when she went back to the dishes. _Heh…I wonder if Axel has gone to prank Kam with Ramon?_ She questioned, her lips forming a small smile. While she considered the Halliwells as her family, she was close with her team. She had joined the team four years ago, after she helped them kill a lycan warlock. The members, in their own way, were crazy. They would fight over cards, pull pranks, or, in Zevran's case, flirt mercilessly. However, even though she loved the team as well, she was glad they weren't calling her. She hoped that would mean a quiet, peaceful day.

As she placed the plates in the cupboard, she noticed blue and white orbs out of the corner of her eye. _Must be Paige…_She thought. Just as she expected, she saw a woman in her thirties standing before her. She had dark brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail, and she wore black, thin-rimmed glasses. Her eyes were dark brown, much like her nieces', and her body looked thin.

However, instead of a cheerful expression on her face, she looked worried and agitated. Once she had appeared completely, she asked, "Billie, where's Phoebe?"

Billie looked at her in confusion. "Um…at work, and Coop had another job he had to do. What's wrong?"

"A demon killed my charge just a few minutes ago…a powerful demon named Raul. And he's kidnapped an Avenger named Iron Man."

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**Read and Review!**

**God Bless!**


	2. Chapter 2: Something Amidst

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, except for the plot. Enjoy!**

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**C****hapter Two: Something Amidst**

The apartment building was now free from its fiery grasp. Dark smoke still billowed from the windows, but there were no flames accompanying it. The firefighters and paramedics began to enter the building to find any casualty, or survivors if they were saved miraculously. Many people, who were gathered in the streets, talked in hushed voices that were filled with fear and worry. Their hero, Iron Man, had gone into the building itself, but he never came back out.

So, there was one question on everyone's minds and lips: was Iron Man dead?

When Billie and Paige arrived at the site, appearing in an alleyway, the young witch stared in shock at the carnage. "I can't believe one demon did that…" She said under her breath.

"We have blown up the house at one point, and we have seen invincible demons…" Paige mumbled back in sarcasm. "And THIS surprises you?"

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "In groups, it wouldn't be surprising. But one demon?"

"Honestly…I don't think ANYTHING surprises me anymore…" She sighed dramatically, shaking her head herself. "I'll get Phoebe, see if she can get a premonition about this demon…and Billie?"

She glanced at her with her eyebrow arched, waiting for her reply.

"Don't rush in there alone. God knows I don't need to be coming back and having to save your ass."

Billie couldn't help but smirk as she watched her whitelighter walk into a hiding place. _She knows me too well…_Then, she looked back at the building and released a small sigh. _But still…_The words Paige said to her were still fresh in her mind. Disbelief settled inside her uncomfortably; she couldn't believe someone like Iron Man was taken down easily by a demon. She heard the news reports about each of the attacks in New York that the Avengers were able to stop. She knew about the names in the group, and she knew how strong they were. In fact, she heard how strong each of their enemies were, which made the demon attack against Iron Man even more surprising to her.

There was another thing that made her uneasy as well: why did the demon take Iron Man? What could he possibly have that was worth all of this trouble?

She brushed a strand of her blonde hair off her face as she walked toward the crowd. Her eyes flickered at the faces of the people, who became more anxious by the second. Then, she looked back at the building. _There's no way one demon could've done this…at least, not with the planning…_An idea began to form in her head, like a light bulb turning on in her mind. She pulled out her Darkness Shroud communicator, which looked like a small black phone, and began to press the numbers.

For a few moments, she only heard a buzzing noise, which told her it was ringing. She glanced upward for a moment, and she placed her right hand on her hip. Finally, she heard a voice on the other line:

"'_Ello!" _It was Axel's—or rather, Lea's—voice.

"Axel, its Billie." She said as she turned away from the crowd. With a low voice, she said, "Listen, I need a favor…"

"_Favor, huh? And what kind of favor is that?"_

Billie rolled her eyes at the mocking tone in his voice. "I need you to look up weird accidents in San Francisco…anything that could indicate a supernatural or something."

"…_Y'know, I should start paying you guys for my services."_

"Right…just like you and Atton need to pay us for all those fights you two get into and drag us in." She retorted.

"…_What's going on?"_

"There was a demon attack. One of Paige's charges was killed, and the same demon took Iron Man."

"…_Whoa wait…some demon took IRON MAN? The rich guy who uses armor and is part of the Avengers?"_

"The very same…look, can you do this for me or not?"

She heard him sigh. _"Fine, fine, I'll do it."_

"Alright, thanks Axel." With that, she got off the phone.

Then, she turned toward the alleyway to see Paige reappear with her older sister, Phoebe Halliwell. Her dark brown hair was curled and laid gently at the middle point of her back. Much like her younger sister, she had brown eyes. She wore a white blouse with a black skirt and black high heels.

"Y'know…when Paige came to get me, I was hoping it was more than just a demon attack." Phoebe said, sighing as she crossed her arms. "Because now this is gonna add more pressure to my deadline and Elise is already-"

"All in all, hard day at work?" Billie asked, cutting her off with a small smirk.

She sighed. "Yeah, you can say that. So would you mind telling me what the hell is going on?"

"Uh…short version? A demon killed Paige's charge and has taken Iron Man."

It seemed the transition between expression changes was instant. Phoebe's eyes widened in shock as she exclaimed, "What?! How is that possible? I thought Iron Man took on things tougher than this?!"

Both of the witches had to shush her. "We don't know…which is why we sorta needed your help." Billie said before she glanced at the building. "We need you to get a premonition in there…"

"And it needs to be fast…" Paige added as she looked at the building with a thoughtful look on her face. Suddenly, when the paramedics stepped out of the building with a body bag on a stretcher, her face lit up. Then, she grabbed her sister and her charge. "C'mon!"

Before Billie could utter a word, blue and white orbs surrounded her and she felt a strange sensation, like her body now felt light. When the orbs went away a few seconds later, she found herself standing in a room, charred from the fire. The furniture now sported a black color, and they gave a smell of smoke. There were some, however, that were nearly burnt to the ground.

Her eyes flickered around the room before she slowly stepped forward. "Okay…so I am guessing we're on the floor where…?" She stopped herself before she looked back at the two older women, who glanced around the room as well. "So where did Hannah die?"

Paige pointed at the door, clearing her throat slightly, before she led the way. She carefully opened it and glanced down the hallway. She motioned for them for them to follow. Billie glanced back at Phoebe, who cast a concern look at her younger sister, as they went to the hallway. There was no one in sight, much to their relief, and they stepped forward.

"That's where she was." The whitelighter-witch said, pointing at a spot on the floor. "When I appeared, I found her there and the demon standing here with Iron Man." She moved her finger to another spot, which was about a foot or two away from the first spot. She gulped slightly before she turned to Phoebe. "Do you think you can get a premonition?"

She shrugged. "I can try…I've worked less before." Then, she bent down at the second spot and placed her hand over it, closing her eyes.

Billie frowned as she crossed her arms. Her eyes flickered down the hallway once more; luckily, there was no one else in sight. Much like the room, the hallway was charred from the fire, and she could see the places that were burned from the fire. _I hope Axel is doing what I asked…_She thought. _Just to keep this from happening again…_She sighed softly once more before she turned and looked at the spot where Paige said Hannah was at. _…And to protect another innocent…_Suddenly, flashes of her parents and her sister entered into her mind before she quickly shook her head. _No…I'll keep that from happening again…I won't let someone else-_

Suddenly, she heard a gasp and quickly turned to Phoebe with a shock look. "Phoebe, what is it?"

She didn't answer. Her eyes were closed, and her face was contorted to shock. She even looked like she was holding her breath. The young witch frowned and bent down to her level, watching her in concern.

After a few seconds, Phoebe's eyes shot open. Her breathing became heavy for a moment; then, she began to relax. Paige knelt beside her as well and quickly asked, "What did you see?"

"Uh…a demon…was your demon bald?" She asked.

"…Yeah…why?"

"Because I saw him…with two other demons." Then, she looked between the two. "And they were capturing another person."

Both Billie and Paige looked at each other. "…Who?"

"Today just ISN'T my day, is it?"

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The Avengers' very own marksman, Hawkeye, grumbled to himself as he marched down the large, metal hallway of the S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier. He had to deal with three villains that morning, he and his team were leaderless with Iron Man in San Francisco, and now he was called to the S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Helicarrier for an unknown reason. Needless to say, he wasn't too pleased. Then, to add to his annoyance, he was being followed by S.H.I.E.L.D agents.

His dark blue eyes flickered at their stoic expressions. He rolled them slightly before he shook his head. "Guys, really? Do I REALLY need so much security?" He groaned. "It's just a meeting with Fury... my FIFTH this month, may I add."

"Clint Barton…AKA Hawkeye of the Avengers and Gladiis Liberatis." a cold female voice rang out. Hawkeye groaned as he shook his head.

_Not her... anyone but her..._he thought before glancing up, greeted by several S.H.I.E.L.D. agents all flanking a female agent. Her skin was tan, and her dark brown hair was cut very short, clinging to her head; she wore a S.H.I.E.L.D. outfit as well, but it looked more like an on-piece black suit with the S.H.I.E.L.D insignia near her right shoulder. However, what confirmed her identity was the very cold expression she wore on her face, which reached her dark brown eyes. _Yup, it's her... Agent Maria Hill..._

Despite his irritation, he flashed a small grin and said sarcastically, "Maria Hill…I should've known you would be the one-"

"Cut the crap, Barton." She cut him off coldly, crossing her arms. "Fury wishes to see you on an urgent matter."

"Oh really? I didn't know." He mocked sarcastically again. "So why not tell me now and without all this security?"

At first, she said nothing. Her face simply hardened even more. Hawkeye thought it looked amusing, but he didn't dare laugh. While he enjoyed being sarcastic with her, he knew what would happen if he laughed. Finally, after a few more moments, she asked, "…What if we told you this was highly classified information?"

He arched an eyebrow. _Okay…that's a little unexpected…_Then, he shook his head. "So why just call on me if this is HIGHLY classified information?"

"…You'll see soon enough." With that, she led him down the hallway.

He sighed slightly, but he pushed aside his irritation and followed her. His curiosity began to heighten as he thought of what she said. While he was an Avenger, as well as a Gladiis Liberatis member, he wasn't as important as few of the other members. Captain America and Iron Man would be on the top of the list. Also, if the information was classified, why didn't they contact one of them? Or even Ant Man or Wasp?

He sighed softly. _Guess I'll find out once I get there…but…what if this is about…?_ Quickly, he shook his head. _No, if it was about her again…the whole team would've been called. _Silently, he continued to follow Maria until they reached a large room with a metal table in the middle. He glanced out at the large, glass windows around him. The sky was clear, revealing a nice color of blue and the sun. However, his focus turned to the very man who called for his presence.

Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D..

To many people, he was an intimidating man. He was a bald man with a black goatee, and a black patch over his left, brown eye. Unlike the other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, he wore a custom S.H.I.E.L.D. outfit with a grey trenchcoat over it. His face, much like Maria's, looked very stern as he turned to face Hawkeye.

He nodded slightly. "Barton…"

"What do you want with me, Fury?" Hawkeye asked, crossing his arms. "In case you didn't notice, the team is currently without Iron Man due to his business meeting and-"

"Save it, Barton." Like Maria, he cut him off. "We're not here for arguments or debates... I'm here because I need the help of the Avengers."

He arched an eyebrow before he shook his head. "So…why not call for the AVENGERS? Or even the Gladiis Liberatis?" He asked in a plain tone. "Instead, you call me up on my own for NO apparent reason only to tell me you need the help of my team? What kind of game are you-"

"We got a signal from Stark's AI system," Fury grunted. "and all communications with the Iron Man Mk VII armor have been disrupted and shut down by an outside force... your leader is missing in action, Barton."

Hawkeye's eyes widened at this. "…What do you mean Tony's communication systems are down?!" He exclaimed as he punched the table. Fear and anger mixed uncomfortably inside his stomach, and his heart sank low. The one person he thought that would never be caught—Iron Man—had now disappeared. Then, he quickly asked. "Where was he?!"

Fury held up his hand. "Allow me to explain." He insisted before he took out a file and passed it to the Avenger. "During the past few months, we've had multiple cases of arson on S.H.I.E.L.D. bases and laboratories across the world... we've managed to salvage files however every file, back-ups included, regarding technology salvaged by S.H.I.E.L.D. from enemy forces, in particular those of HYDRA and A.I.M., over the past three years have gone missing. Files on the Cosmic Cube to be more precise."

"So your bases are being blown up... and your files are missing?" Hawkeye blinked as he glanced over the files, which gave a full report over the incidents.

"That is correct." He nodded before he gave him another file. "Not only that... we've got attacks on civilians being led as well; mostly arson cases like the ones at the labs..."

He looked at him before he looked at the second file. It had a full report on the three attacks all over the country. It seemed to have the same MO, but he found it strange. _These attacks…_He thought with a frown, glancing over each report. _All of them were done with just a few days between them…and there's too much distance…_

He glanced at him at Fury, mulling over everything. Then, his face turned determine as he nodded. "What do you want us to do?"

"I need you to have the Avengers investigate the New York area for any clues on the attack here, and I want them to find clues on the attack at the bases. However, YOU... I want you to find Iron Man, Barton."

"...That all?" Hawkeye couldn't help but shrug. A cocky grin broke across his face. "...Piece of cake." With that, he began to walk out of the room.

"Don't go THAT FAR, Barton... this guy took down Iron Man after all." Fury pointed out.

Hawkeye stopped for a moment and glanced back at him. His cocky grin slipped slightly before he looked away. "…And I'm not Iron Man now, am I?" He stated before he shook his head and left.

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**Here is the second chapter! Next chapter, our two main characters will finally collide! Read and Review!**

**God Bless!**


	3. Chapter 3: Pathways Crossed

**Another edition for Clashing Visions! Hope you guys enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Once again, I own nothing except for the demon OCs and the plot.**

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**Chapter Three: Pathways Crossed**

Tony groaned softly as he slowly opened his eyes. His body still ached from the electricity pouring through his body, and the armor felt heavy like a dead piece of weight. He tried to move his arms, but he wasn't able to, causing him to glance back to see chains restraining him. A small groan, filled with annoyance, escaped from his lips. _Great…_He thought sarcastically. He tried to use his armor, even calling for JARVIS, but nothing happened: all of his functions were down.

That meant he couldn't fight his way out of his captors, and he couldn't the others to help him.

Luckily, he was able to remove the faceplate, allowing him to breathe easily. He sighed softly before he glanced around once more. The room was very dark, which made it hard to see clearly. However, he could tell there was no furniture in the room due to no outlines around him. There was no sound around him, which made him feel uneasy. _Where the hell did that man take me?_ He thought, his mind flashing to the bald man who had managed to beat him. Just as he thought of him, the image of the woman appeared in his mind as well.

The woman was now dead; he couldn't save her, and he had to watch her die in front of him. Guilt and anger mixed into him, creating an unsettling feeling in his stomach. _I will kill that man for what he did to her…and to me._ He vowed in his mind. Suddenly, he heard the door open, causing him to look up.

And lo, the bald man from before stood before him.

"You." Tony glared before he struggled against his bonds.

The man smiled calmly. He placed his hands behind his back before he said, "I see you're awake now…Tony Stark. Forgive me for the…accommodations, but I can't allow you to leave or do something to my colleagues."

"…Oh really? Well, I hate to say it, but your accommodations sucks." Tony said with a smirk. "Now why would you go through so much trouble to draw me out? You could've come to my office, and we could've had a nice chat!"

The man chuckled, almost in an amusing fashion. "Your humor is noted, Mr. Stark. But I believe our discussion should be a little more serious. After all, it is about a…certain object that you and S.H.I.E.L.D. seem to be protecting."

Upon hearing that, Tony's eyes narrowed slightly. "There are many things we're protecting. You need to be a little more specific, unless age is making you senile!"

He was silent as he stared at him. It almost made the Avenger feel slightly uneasy. _Nice job, Tony. _He thought sarcastically. _I just made him mad…well, he's less dangerous than Hulk, so that's a plus._ Carefully, he watched the man come closer to him before he knelt in front of him. Tony said nothing himself as he stared at him.

Then, the man smiled. "The Cosmic Cube. The cube that can alter reality to whatever the user wishes it to be." He answered, his voice showing excitement at the thought that an item like that existed.

Surprise smacked him in the face, and his eyes widened. _The Cosmic Cube?! Is this guy nuts?! _However, he tried to compose himself before he asked, "How do you know about that item?"

"Let's just say I have my…resources."

"Well, I don't know where it is." He retorted.

The man frowned slightly. "So someone who works close to S.H.I.E.L.D., or a very smart man like you, doesn't know where it could be?"

"Eh, there are some things I don't know much on." Tony casually replied, trying to keep his cool. "Now that we have that clear up-"

Suddenly, he felt the man's hand around his neck before electricity poured through his body. His eyes widened, and he screamed in pain. It only lasted for a moment, but the intensity was nearly unbearable. His breathing became slightly heavy after he stopped, but he held his head up defiantly. "You think…torturing is going to make me talk? Because I am telling the truth."

The man scoffed as he stared at him. "And how I would know that, Mr. Stark? After all, you know how powerful the cube is…and as a hero, you would do whatever it takes to make sure someone doesn't get it. Besides, why would S.H.I.E.L.D. keep this from you?"

"Oh I don't know…maybe because I CHOSE to not be told?"

"…You are a strange man, Stark. But I know you could find it…"

"Like I would want to help you…"

Once more, electricity went through his body, and Tony gritted his teeth. The man sent his power through him for more than a few moments. So, after he stopped, Tony leaned forward as his strength began to leave him. His breathing became heavier before he looked up with a weak glare. The man simply smiled before he asked, "Shall we try this again?"

Before he could answer, he saw a woman materialize in the room—or rather, she appeared through a burst of flames. Her hair appeared to be silky black, reaching the middle of her back, and her skin had an olive color to it. Her eyes were slanted and dark brown. She wore a crimson shirt with quarter-length sleeve, a black skirt that went a few inches above her knee, and black knee-length boots with a heel.

The man turned when he heard her entered, causing him to smile. "Lucille…forgive me, dear, but I am very busy at the moment."

"We have a small dilemma, Raul. Another Avenger has come to the city." She said sternly.

Tony's eyes widened slightly. _The others are here?!_

He noticed the smile on Raul's face slipped a little, but he didn't seem too surprise or dismayed. After a few moments of silence, the smile became larger. "Well then…our plans may have changed a little…" Then, he turned his attention to the Avenger before he let go. "I believe your friend will be helpful…whether he or she tells me themselves…or they can help you loosen your tongue."

He glared intensely at him before he immediately struggled against his bonds. "Don't you dare!" He shouted.

Raul simply smiled at him before he turned to Lucille. "Lucille…why don't you take a couple of our colleagues with you. I'll be in my office…" And, with that, they disappeared, leaving behind a seething Tony.

* * *

_Great, just GREAT. How am I supposed to find Tony with barely any information to go on?! _Hawkeye thought as he flew above San Francisco on his sky cycle. His dark blue eyes flickered to the city below him, where nearly everyone learned what happened to Iron Man. He was certain they were talking about it- the ones near the charred building certainly were. They wondered if he was alive or not, and some began to fear the worse when the police officers couldn't find him.

They weren't the only ones; he was worried as well.

It had been thirty minutes since he arrived in the city, and he headed straight for the charred building. To his dismay, he couldn't get any information from the building or the police officers. The only information he got was one woman had been killed in the fire. It didn't help much, but it answered why Tony was in the building at all. However, if only a woman was in the building…why was he gone?

Quickly, Hawkeye landed the sky cycle in an alleyway between a building with _Starks Enterprises_ written on it and another building. _First things first…see if anyone saw him with a woman._ He thought before he went toward his leader's building. It was certainly tall and well-made, much like the headquarters of the industry in New York. He could see the lobby through the windows and it was fairly large. However, he saw more than workers inside; he saw police officers. _Seems like they thought the same thing._

He went toward the doors and opened it, his dark blue eyes glancing around. The lobby had marble flooring with elegant grey chairs sitting beside each other. There was a wooden desk directly in front of him, with a black hair woman behind it, staring at him with shock in her brown eyes. In fact, there were others that were looking at him in astonishment. One man whispered to his friend beside him, "That's Hawkeye from the Avengers…"

…_Heh, seems like I'm well-known here._ Hawkeye thought with a mental smirk before he went toward the desk. The police officers were looking at him too, but he chose to ignore them for now. Instead, he looked at the woman and said, "I need to know who Tony Stark saw while he was here."

The woman, who appeared to be in her early thirties, frowned. "I am sorry, but the police already have the log in sheets since Mr. Stark arrived."

He frowned slightly before he glanced at the officers. "…When will you be done with them?"

"It depends on our detectives, sir." The older one, who had brown hair with specks of grey on the sides, said in a gruff voice. "But I don't see why you would need it. Don't you Avengers have other ways to get information? Better yet, don't you even know who's doing it?"

The Avenger resisted the urge to roll his eyes before he crossed his arms. "No, we don't. We just found out he was missing as well before they sent me. That's why I came here: to get more information." He said calmly.

The man scoffed and motioned for his comrade to follow him. "Not like we need a superhero to do our job…" He grumbled.

…_I hate guys like them._ Hawkeye thought, shaking his head. Then, he turned to the woman. "…Can I ask you something? About Mr. Stark's visitors?"

"Well, I can try to answer…"

"Good! Do you remember if any of his visitors were women?"

She looked at him incredulously. "…He had a few, but I don't see-"

"Have you paid attention to the news to see if any of them were missing or found dead?" He cut her off hastily as he placed his hands on the desk.

"…You think he met the woman they found dead in that building?" She asked, blinking in shock. Quickly, she recollected herself and said, "I don't think that woman was someone he met…at least here anyway. No one has mentioned if anyone connected to here went missing as well. For that, I'm sure of."

A small sigh escaped from his lips. That was news he didn't want to hear. However, he grinned slightly and nodded. "Thank you, ma'am." He said. With that, he turned to walk out of the building. _Great, there goes any chance of getting a lead. _He grumbled to himself before he tried to think of other leads. _May his hotel room might-_

Suddenly, when he stepped outside, he felt himself crash into someone else, causing him to stumble back slightly. "Hey, watch where you're going!" He snapped as he looked at the person. However, he blinked once when he saw he ran into a woman…a beautiful woman, in his opinion.

She had blonde hair that reached her shoulders with one layer in it, and her eyes were jade green. The top of her head reached his nose, and she appeared to be in her mid to late twenties- a few years younger than him. Her white skin had a light touch of tan, which was due to the hot sun that loomed over the city nearly every day. Her dark blue shirt, which looked snug against her petite figure, was an inch from her waistline with a square neck. She wore blue jean shorts that were a few inches from her knees, and she wore black sandals. Through her blonde hair, he could see silver loop earrings.

However, while the woman looked stunning, it was slightly diminished by the glare she wore on her face. "You have room to talk." She said firmly.

His eyes narrowed slightly before he said sarcastically, "Well, excuse me miss." He went to walk away before he felt something wrapped around his wrist. With a confused expression, he turned around. The woman had grabbed his wrist, and she wore a confused look as well. "Um…can I help you?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.

"…Wait…"

Her eyes flickered up and down, as if she was looking him over. Hawkeye was more confused by her actions. "…Yes?" He asked calmly. _Okay, normally I don't mind a woman checking me out…but this is a little TOO weird…_

The woman stayed quiet for a few moments as she looked at him carefully. Then, she mumbled, "He's the one from…" Then, her eyes widened before she looked into his eyes. "You need to come with me. Now."

"…And why should I?"

"Look, I can't explain everything right now, but you need to come with me! For your own safety!" She said. Panic etched itself across her face, and it even appeared genuine to him. Then, she said, "Someone is after you and if you're not somewhere safe, you might be killed!"

He stared at her with a blank look on his face. "Lady... you need some help. PROFESSIONAL help... like Doctor Phil: he often deals with people who are cr-...people who are like you." _The crazies are REALLY out today._

Her eyes widened for a moment before they narrowed to an intense glare. "Look, I am serious here. And unless you're a phony with your stupid outfit, you should be used to crazy things!"

"Uh…so I guess you know who I am?"

"Yes, you're Hawkeye, of the Avengers."

Hawkeye arched an eyebrow. _Okay…well, at least you don't hate me like that police officer…but that doesn't help your case lady. _"…And what makes you think I should believe you easily? You're dress like a normal person…but you're speaking like a crazy one."

The woman crossed her arms. "Just because I don't dress in wacky clothes like you doesn't mean I'm crazy! If anything, you're the crazy one! Have you heard of stealth, genius?"

"Hey!" He glared at her, which mirrored the look on her face. "I'll have you know that I've done plenty of stealth missions and pretty skilled with it! And I'm not the one spewing out crazy talk!" _Okay, why am I attracting the crazy women? Tony seems to get the-_Quickly, he shook his head. "Look, I need to move." With a wave, he went to walk off once more.

To his dismay, however, he felt her hand around her wrist. He couldn't help but roll his eyes. _Is she THIS desperate?!_ He turned and opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, he felt himself being dragged into the alleyway. His mouth dropped open slightly, and his eyes widened. _What the hell?! How is she this strong?!_ He could only see the back of her head, but he could tell she was looking around by the movement of her head. Frantically, he noted. _What is she so worried about?!_

When they got further into the alleyway, he heard the woman call out, "Paige! Paige!"

…_Okay, this woman is BEYOND crazy._ He thought with a deadpan look upon his face. "…There is no one here, you nut." He said bluntly. "Now will you let me go and-"

"Shut it!" She hissed, throwing him a glare.

Hawkeye went to open his mouth once more when he noticed a woman at the other end of the alleyway. Confusion appeared on his face. "Uh…is this the Paige lady you were calling for?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.

The woman turned with a quizzical look on her face as well. However, it only last for a second before her eyes widened. "That's not Paige…"

"…Then who-"

Before he could finish the sentence, the woman conjured a fireball in her hand. His eyes widened as she unleashed it, but it wasn't compared to the shock he felt next. The woman in front of him brought her hand up, and the fireball deflected back.

The other woman threw another fireball to block the attack. Then, she threw a glare at her. "Witch…"

_Witch?!_ Hawkeye blinked in shock before he quickly shook his head and brought out an arrow. He unleashed it, but to his dismay, the woman disappeared. He quickly looked around as he grabbed another arrow. "Where did she go?!"

"I don't-AH!"

He turned around, and his eyes widened. An energy ball had hit her from behind, causing her to hit the ground. Her back seemed to be slightly charred and bloody, which made him grimace. Then, his eyes narrowed to a glare before he turned to the perpetrator. "Alright, where are you?!" He exclaimed.

To his surprise, it wasn't the woman who stood there: it was a man. He had dark brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail, a very thin face, and his eyes were so dark, he nearly mistaken them as black. He wore a black tanktop with matching pants and trenchcoat.

The first thing Hawkeye did was aim an arrow at the man and fired. _Sheesh, the woman made fun of my outfit…what about this chump?_ His thoughts were momentarily interrupted when the man dodged the arrow and threw another energy ball. Quickly, he dunked from the attack, allowing it to go over his head. Then, he glanced at the woman, watching her struggle back to her feet. He was about to ask if she was alright; however, the other woman appeared and blew a blast of ice from her hand. On instinct, he grabbed her and pulled her to the side. He could feel the chilling breeze against his arm, and when he looked, he noticed a thin layer of ice. He growled slightly reached for his bow, which was beside him. Suddenly, something slammed into him, causing him to crash into the ground, pain coursing through his body.

He clenched his teeth in pain. Then, he noticed the woman—or whatever she was—walking closer toward them. "The witch…Raul didn't expect this…" She asked softly.

The man appeared beside her as he brought out another energy ball from his hand. "What does it matter, Lucille? Let's just kill her and take him back to Raul, like we're supposed to!"

_Raul?_ Hawkeye's eyes shimmered with confusion, but he ignored the feeling. Quickly, he pushed himself to his feet and fired two arrows at them. The man managed to disappear, almost like a shimmer, as the woman named Lucille blocked it with a fireball. Then, she sent a blast of ice at him. However, before he could dodge it, the other woman pushed herself to her feet, brought her hand forward, and blocked the ice. With a swift movement, she swung her arm, and Lucille flew backwards, slamming into the brick wall behind her.

He blinked. "…Okay, I can definitely see that you have a power…telekinesis?"

She turned to him, but before she could answer, her eyes widened. "Look out!" She got in front of him, deflecting an energy ball away from them.

Hawkeye didn't waste any time; he aimed another arrow at the man and fired it. However, to his dismay, he unleashed an energy ball, incinerating the arrow, prior to sending out another one. The woman had to block the blast before she took the chance to send him against a dumpster. The archer couldn't help but smirk slightly. _Heh, this babe's not so bad…_When he saw the other woman getting up, his eyes narrowed. "…Name please, lady?"

"…Billie Jenkins." She replied.

"Alright Jenkins…You take care of the psycho woman…guy with the girly look is mine."

With that, he pulled out another arrow—which had a large end where the arrow head should've been place—and unleashed it at the man. He simply grabbed it while he smirked. "Your little arrows won't work on me, mortal."

Hawkeye smirked as well, and the only words he uttered were, "Tick tick, boom."

Promptly, the end of the arrow made two clicking noises before it exploded. Momentarily, he saw the man's eyes widened as a short scream emitted from his mouth. The explosion instantly killed him, leaving behind only a pile of dust. Bewilderment stretched itself across his face as he blinked several times. _Okay…other than monsters from Asgard, I never saw this before…what the hell are these things?_ Quickly, he dismissed the fault before he turned to Billie and Lucille.

The witch was doing better than he thought she would…FAR better. Lucille blew a blast of ice at her, but it got blocked several times. Then, she swung her arms once more to send her crashing into the fire escape ladder above them. Lucille crashed into the ground, snarling at her. She pushed herself to her feet before she conjured two fireballs.

Hawkeye's eyes narrowed and he pointed another explosive arrow. Just as he was about to unleash the arrow…

"LADDER!"

Surrounded by blue and white orbs, with a strange ringing sound, a ladder appeared and slammed into Lucille. Even more confusion rose inside him until he heard, "You okay?" behind him.

Both he and Billie turned around to see a woman in her mid to late thirties. "Uh…who…?"

"About time you got here, Paige." He heard the witch say.

He glanced at her with an arched eyebrow. "…Okay, is she as crazy as you?"

"Shut it."

Paige rolled her eyes before she ran toward them. "Is he the one from Phoebe's premonition?" She asked urgently, keeping her eyes on Lucille.

"Wait, what-"

"Yeah, the same one." Billie interrupted him.

She nodded. Quickly, she grasped their shoulders. "Let's not waste anytime then. We need to get out of here!"

Hawkeye opened his mouth to retort, to say they shouldn't run away from a fight. But then, everything happened so suddenly. Lucille went to send another blast of ice toward them; white and blue orbs surrounded them. Then, before he could comprehend it all, they had disappeared from the alleyway…

* * *

**Certainly one of my longest...anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I am working on chapter six, so chapters four and give will be posted very soon. Read and Review!**

**God Bless!**


	4. Chapter 4: Personality Clashes

**Kayla: Sorry for the delay, but here is chapter four!**

**Disclaimer: Look at my previous chapters to get a disclaimer.**

* * *

**Chapter Four: Personality Clashes**

Billie loved fighting demons; the Halliwells knew it and so did her team. However, it was at the current moment that she had to think different. When Paige took her and Hawkeye to her apartment—which was small compared to Phoebe's condo—she immediately collapsed on the dark brown leather couch. Her face was buried in the cushion while she felt pain coursing through her body; her back was the source of it all. _Dammit, how come I didn't pay attention to that demon's attack?! _She scolded herself at her lack of thoughtlessness. It was only by her adrenaline that she managed to jump back into the fight with ease.

Slowly, she glanced to see Hawkeye rubbing his arm, which still had a thin layer of ice on top. Paige went to his side, telling him to hold still. She couldn't help but grin slightly at the weird look that appeared on his face. After what happened just moments ago and his run-in with her, it was no wonder he seemed confused. However, he didn't look quite as shock as other mortals—mortals who had no clue about demons or didn't get involved in super villain fights. If she had to be completely honest with herself, it was refreshing…

"Okay, now that we had a fight with two…whatever the hell they were, maybe now you two can give me some answers." He said, reluctantly permitting the whitelighter-witch hybrid to work on his arm. His dark blue eyes flickered between her and the telekinetic with patience brimming in them, though it seemed to be waning. "I mean, what the hell was that all about?"

Billie met his gaze as she replied, "Well, as you saw for yourself, I was right about someone was trying to kill you."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I noticed. Thanks for pointing it out, genius." He said sarcastically. Then, he winced slightly. "Hey, easy there!"

"Well hold still!"

Paige moved her hand over the ice before it glow brightly. The archer's expression turned to surprise as he fixated on the magic. Slowly, the ice began to melt away from his arm. The red hue that formed from the cold slowly faded before his skin turned to its usual light tan color. He moved his arm in a circular motion. "Wow…normally I don't bother getting medical attention." Then, he grinned. "Thanks for that."

She shrugged, almost child-like. "Well, what can I say, whitelighters like me have a special touch."

"…Whitelighter?" He gave a questioning look. "…Okay, who—or what—are you two? And what the hell is a whitelighter?"

As Billie pushed herself into a sitting position, gritting her teeth in pain, she responded, "I'm Billie Jenkins, like I told you earlier, and this is Paige Mitchell. As for what we are…you already have your answer…remember what that demon said?"

That statement seemed to confused him more, but instead of questioning it, he replied, "If you mean that psychotic woman…yes. She said you were a witch. But…you're not like that other witch I faced many times before."

She arched an eyebrow. "And…how was that witch like?"

"…Let's just say she was psychotic and wanted my friend. You? Well, you're a nut, I will say that. But…" Another grin appeared on his face, "you're craziness hasn't affect your looks. And I have to give it to ya…you're a sight to look at."

Her mouth dropped open slightly, and her eyes narrowed slightly. "…Excuse me?!"

He casually shrugged. "What? Have you ever been complimented like that before?" He asked.

Billie said nothing, but her face heated up slightly. The only thing she thought was: _oh great…he's just like Zevran!_

Paige glanced between the two with her eyebrows knitted together and her lips puckered slightly. "Alright…" She said slowly, "this is turning out swell…" Quickly, she shook her head before she turned to Hawkeye. "To answer your question, yes we are witches, which mean we have powers. As for whitelighters, they are like….like guardian angels, guiding and watching over good witches and people destined to be whitelighters."

Hawkeye arched an eyebrow. "Like a guardian angel…huh, never heard of that before. But with the things I've seen…nothing surprises me anymore."

Both of her eyebrows shot up, her look torn between surprise and impressiveness like a two-faced mask. "Really now…" Slowly, her lips curled upward slightly. "Y'know, it's actually refreshing to see a mortal react this way when they get told about magic."

He shrugged. "Helps when I have guys like Thor and other magic users on my teams." He casually responded. "But it doesn't change the fact I'm curious about what they are and other things…but we don't have time for that."

"No…no we don't." Then, she glanced at Billie before she walked toward her. "The first thing we need to do is figure out what those demons are and what they want."

Billie grimaced in pain. "Whatever this one was...she looked like the one from Phoebe's premonition…but the other demons weren't there."

Confusion shimmered in his eyes upon that statement. "So…I'm guessing there's another witch?" He asked slowly.

She nodded as she replied, "Paige's older sister, Phoebe Halliwell." Then, she felt Paige's fingers brush against her wound, causing her to wince. Suddenly, she felt a relaxing sensation flooding her body. The pain ebbed away, causing her to sigh softly. "Thanks, Paige." She said, turning to her with a small smile.

The whitelighter-witch hybrid nodded while the archer crossed his arms. He wore a curious look on his face when he asked, "So you guys were investigating a crime too?"

"A demon attack, yes." Then, she glanced at Paige. "Did you find anything on that Raul guy?"

She shook her head as she released a sigh of frustration. "Nothing…I looked all over that book, and there's no information about him. Honestly, that's a scary thought…especially after what he did."

"Wait, Raul?" Hawkeye asked, crossing his arms. "I heard that…demon say his name…so I'm guessing that's the demon you've been looking for?"

Billie nodded. "That fire that occurred earlier…he was the cause of it. He killed a woman—another witch—named Hannah…and if you didn't know already, your friend Iron Man was taken from him."

As soon as she said that, his eyes widened, and his face turned pale. His hands slowly curled into tight fists. Then, his eyes began to narrow. "You mean to tell me…" He started with anger spewing out of his mouth, "that the fire that happened earlier in that building…he was the one who took Iron Man?!"

"Yeah…which means…the two demons that attacked us are working with him…"

Things were becoming more confusing for her. She still couldn't understand why Raul wanted Iron Man, and now, his allies attacked Hawkeye. It was strange to see demons attack mortals and only capture them. Most of the demons she faced killed mortals either for the entertainment or because they were too much of a threat to the demon community. They were Avengers, which made them a huge threat, but why didn't they automatically kill them? Wouldn't that send a message to the other heroes, and even witches, around the world?

Suddenly, a thought came to her mind: _what if they knew something that the demons wanted?_ Her jaw slacked slightly, leaving her mouth opened a little. _What if…what if Iron Man was taken for information…and they think Hawkeye will know as well…_

"…Uh…Billie? Why do you look like a gaping fish right now?"

Her thoughts were shattered by Paige's voice. Quickly, she looked at her to see the concern look on her face. She was going to answer her, but she decided against it. _Hawkeye may have the answers we need…_She turned her attention to Hawkeye, where she saw him still seething by the news he heard. "Look, I need to know why a demon would want to take Iron Man." She said hastily.

His anger was still evident on his face, but she noticed that his confusion returned. "What are you talking about?" He asked seriously.

"Demons don't take mortals alive; most of the time, they kill them. If they are keeping him alive, it means they want something from him." Billie explained, though she spoke at a fast rate. She felt that she had an answer to her question, and if she did, that meant they were one step closer to finding the missing hero. "Not to mention, they attacked you…which means you may know something they want as well." She added.

He stared at her; no word came from his lips. While it was easy to read his current emotions, she couldn't tell if he was mulling over her words. She could only assume that he was. Minutes seemed to pass by. At least, it felt like that due to the silence that stood between them like a brick wall. When she looked at him, she thought she saw a bead of sweat run down his cheek. _Wait…is he…is he nervous about answering me?_ She asked, frown deepening.

Finally, he responded: "…That is confidential information."

Her eyes widened, shock clearly written across her face. "What?"

"You heard me." He leaned against the wall behind him, crossing his arms. "Whatever that nut wants…its information I can't give out to you."

She stared at him with disbelief. _What…the…hell…?_ They were the only words she could muster to form in her mind. However, her mouth was quicker to form the words…along with others. "What the hell do you mean you can't give us the information?!" She exclaimed. "Don't you get it?! Your friend was kidnapped for information he has, and apparently YOU have the same info that they want!"

"You think I don't know that, Jenkins? But just because all of us know that those guys want information, it doesn't mean I have to tell you what it is!"

Before Paige could stop her, or even her rational thinking, Billie pushed herself to her feet. Her eyes had now narrowed to a deep glare as she stood in front of him defiantly. "So because you're an Avenger, you have the right to just brush us off like that?!"

The question caught Hawkeye off-guard, but he quickly dismissed it as he glared back. "Hey, I'm not that snooty, hon. Now here's the question that really should be asked…what do you plan to do with this information if I told you?"

She couldn't get any words to come out of her mouth. Her face turned pink once more at the _hon_ comment, but she quickly ignored it. She placed her hands on her hips, and she regained her composure. "If we get this information, we can know exactly what they want. It might even give us a clue as to where they may head, or better yet, use it to bait them out."

"…You are crazy." He said in a flat tone.

"…Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You may be a babe, but you are crazy if you think we're using that item to bait them out."

Billie's glare became more intense before she jabbed her finger into his chest. "Listen, you stubborn bastard, those guys have your friend. How else are we going to find him if we don't bait those demons out?"

He grabbed her hand and pushed it to the side. "Oh, I'll think of something."

"…You're not going to let us help?" Paige asked in confusion.

"As much as I appreciate you two for saving my life, I rather deal with this on my own." He replied. "If they're after the information I know about, then they'll only come after me."

The telekinetic witch scoffed as she shook her head. _I don't believe…_Then, she looked at him. "And you think we're supposed to sit back and do nothing?"

"…Just let me handle this."

She rolled her eyes. "Well I got news for you, pal, we're not sitting back." She said firmly.

Both of them stared at each other firmly. A frown formed on Hawkeye's face before he said, "…Honey…you are a stubborn nut."

"That makes two then, doesn't it?" She retorted.

"…Well, whatever." With that, he pushed himself off the wall and headed toward the door. "It's been fun, but now I have demons to hunt."

Both of the witches watched him leave, but the younger was the only one who looked angrier. "…You are a brash idiot, you know that?"

He stopped and glanced back at them. Then, with a smirk on his face, he only replied,

"You're not brash if you can back it up."

* * *

Raul stared out of his window, sipping his glass of red wine. He gazed at the people below him, all oblivious to the evils in their precious city. Other than the heroes and villains that were around the world, they didn't know of the demons like him or witches or the magical creatures that tried to keep themselves. He could almost pity them, but he didn't. After all, it made the kill easier.

The only mortals who may knew were the ones like Iron Man- the ones who made themselves heroes. Normally, that would scare most demons to the point to kill them. Mortals like them were the most threatening because they could create weapons powerful enough to kill them. After all, it meant more than witches they needed to worry about.

He, on the other hand, didn't see it that way. If a mortal could create an item that would potentially hurt demons, why not use it to their own advantage? The idea that a Cosmic Cube—an item that could alter reality—could exist was almost unimaginable, but it did and it was almost exciting to him. And once he got that cube…

There was one problem, however. Iron Man wasn't talking; he claimed he didn't know where the cube was, despite his involvement with S.H.I.E.L.D.. Raul knew about him: he was Tony Stark, one of the most powerful men in the world. Despite his own standing in the corporate world, the demon couldn't rank close to him. Tony Stark created his own Iron Man suit as well as different types of it. He was also the leader of the Avengers, and it was through him that they were able to stay together as a team financially.

He took another sip of his wine just as he saw flames in the reflection of the window. A smile formed upon his lips. "Lucille…"

Lucille appeared, but to his dismay, she was alone. "Raul, we have a problem." She said in an urgent tone.

"And would this problem be the reason the Avenger isn't with you…or our other friend?" He asked, not turning toward her.

She nodded. "He had help…a Charmed One."

That caught his attention. "A Charmed One…" He repeated under his breath, glancing down. Then, he turned to her. "Would this be…Paige, the whitelighter half-sister?"

"Yes…but it wasn't just her. Another witch was already there…she said her name was Billie Jenkins."

His eyebrows shot up. _Billie Jenkins…_He remembered tales of her…and if she was involved in their little game…

His smile returned, and it was larger than the first one. "Lucille, m'dear…I believe we must change tactics a little..."

_The Ultimate Power…perhaps with the Cosmic Cube…we can use it more than just for our purposes…_

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**Kayla: Well, that was chapter four people! Hope you enjoy and read and review!**

**God Bless!**


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